A bone-in rib eye requires nothing more than salt, pepper, and a hot grill. (Though to make it even more sublime, serve with scallions that have been tossed in olive oil and salt and given a quick char.)

To feed a larger group, double the recipe and keep pancakes warm in a 250° oven between batches.

Saying these are better than our nonna’s would be a bad idea, but she’ll never know if we just think it…

A cocktail should be served so cold it hurts, which you should repeat to yourself as you stir. And stir. And stir. Check out more tips here.

If you love blueberries, which we’re guessing you do if you’re reading this recipe, this is a great way to show the depth of your devotion. It might even have love potion properties (read more about that here). We said might! This is part of BA’s Best, a collection of our essential recipes.

Seasoned stock keeps this meatloaf juicy and flavorful. A doctored ketchup delivers just the right amount of tang, spice, and sweetness. And the bacon? We think it speaks for itself.

Five ingredients and five steps will get you to burger heaven. Want to take this summer cook- out staple to the next level? Check out our recipe for the Butcher’s Burger, which includes three different cuts of beef.

Yes, you can make awesome fried chicken in your cast iron skillet.

This is the pizza margherita of the square-shaped pie. Resist the temptation to add extra cheese; a light hand is key.

Who doesn’t love a wedge? Ask your butcher to cut slab bacon into thick slices (about ¼”) to yield nice meaty pieces once they’re crisped on the grill.

We know ricotta is a traditional addition, but it has a tendency to get dry and grainy when baked. Our update uses a creamy Parmesan béchamel, in addition to a tangy tomato sauce, which together make for a super flavorful finished dish—that won’t dry out in the oven.

You’re not going to get this right the first time. After five, maybe six attempts, you’ll start to feel like a pro.

Stir, stir, stir—that’s the key to making a really good Negroni.

A great Caesar salad gets its swagger from a great dressing. Squeamish about raw egg yolks and anchovies? Sorry. Yolks are what give richness to the emulsion, while anchovies provide a briny blast (and that whole umami thing). Here’s our go-to recipe.

Room temperature ingredients ensure a smooth and creamy texture; take the cream cheese, sour cream, and eggs out of the refrigerator about 2 hours ahead of time.

A mixture of milk and cream delivers a custardy interior texture, but you could use 1 ½ cups whole milk if that’s what you’ve got on hand.

Buy perky, energetic lobsters; they should be active and extend their claws upwards when lifted.

Got nothing but time on your hands? Cook these really low and slow. Set the oven at 300° and start checking the ribs after 3 hours. But don’t sweat it; they’ll be super-tender either way.

Use the best cherries you can find for this drink—it makes a world of difference.

Dark chocolate and espresso add the slightly bitter notes needed to balance this dessert. Remember, the higher the cacao percentage, the less sweet the chocolate.

A certain magic happens as the beef and aromatic vegetables slowly cook down with wine, tomato paste, and broth.

With a steak this thick, you need to season liberally; when chef Bobby Flay demonstrated for us, the surface of the meat was virtually white from salt.

Olive oil, salt, and pepper: This recipe is as blank-slate as it gets. Feel free to add other spices to the salt-and-pepper mix, such as cumin or smoked paprika, and finish with whatever cheese you like.

Our favorite Bloody Mary is an instant classic. Great-quality tomato juice, bright lemon juice, savory Worcestershire, and a tangy hot sauce deliver on all fronts.

Baked lemon bars will be stable and set at room temperature. Unbaked bars should be refrigerated until ready to serve, otherwise the lemon curd will soften.

There are two kinds of hash browns: The chunky, floury, vaguely brown but not crisp kind, and the lacy, crunchy, shredded version here. Guess which one we prefer?

Big fat strips of dough make for a rustic and modern-looking pie (and they’re easy to weave into a lattice). If you’re in love with a thinner style, or love using a fluted cutter, we won’t stop you.

Be sure to squeeze out as much liquid as possible from the spinach. Adding spinach that is too wet could upset the creamy harmony of the rest of the ingredients.

Using coconut oil in place of some of the butter suggests hints of the tropics, and yogurt folded into the whipped cream reinforces the tang of the lime juice.

Don’t be alarmed if the sauce looks thin at first: It will continue to thicken as it bakes with the noodles.

Forget the boxed version you grew up with. This yellow cake gets a rich dark-chocolate frosting with a touch of tang thanks to sour cream. For the best presentation, it’s important to cut the cake layers evenly